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P-16 Initiatives
Welcome to the Office of P-16
Initiatives
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Contact information:
Barbara Lerner, Ph.D.
Coordinator for P-16 Initiatives
(940) 898-2739
Blerner@mail.twu.edu
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Our Mission
To provide collaboration and coherence in P-16 education for the
TWU community.
What is P-16 education?
“P-16” describes an integrated system of education spanning
preschool (“P”) through a four-year college degree (“grade 16”).
P-16 Initiatives are collaborative efforts designed to improve
student achievement and encourage student success by smoothing
transitions from one level of learning to the next.
The focus of P-16 education is
on helping all children meet the proficiency levels needed to
succeed at the next education level and in the workforce.
At TWU, the Office of P-16
Initiatives works to ensure effective partnerships between the
University community and public and postsecondary school,
business, and community stakeholders.
Our partners include area
school districts, community college districts, other four-year
colleges and universities, area businesses, and community and
state agencies.
Message from the Coordinator
for P-16 Initiatives:
TWU Receives $200,000 Grant
thanks to three grants from the Greater Texas Foundation.
Putting Excellence to Work
Below are examples of TWU's community partnerships: |
A-PLUS Project
The A-PLUS project supports
an alternative certification program for school librarians
developed in partnership with the Dallas
Independent School District (DISD).
Funded by a $905,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and
Library Services, the project will support 45 students.
The goals of the A-PLUS project are two-fold: First, to improve
the accessibility and quality of library services for a diverse
student population in the DISD,
and second, to extend the education of newly certified
librarians through completion of their professional degrees. Although state rules do not require a university partner, DISD
chose to develop its program in partnership with Texas Woman’s
University’s School of Library and Information Studies. Specifically, 45 students will complete the alternative
district-based School Librarian certification program with
practical, mentored experience and go on to complete all
requirements for the Texas Woman’s University Master’s in
Library Science (MLS) degree. This project will have a powerful
and enduring impact on individuals attracted to librarianship
from underrepresented communities, and, most importantly, on the
children they serve in the Dallas Independent School District. |
The BRIDGES Program
Part of a nationwide endeavor to increase the number of
underrepresented groups in biomedical research. Introduces
students to the field of biomedical research through hands-on
training. Students in the program receive hourly wages for
conducting research with a TWU mentor, while still enrolled at
the community college. TWU is partnering with TCC, CCCC, and
NCTC on the BRIDGES Program. |
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On the MARC – Math
Advancement and Readiness Collaborative
On the MARC encourages
students to keep up their math skills during their
senior year and help them perform better at the college
level. Research shows that not having to take math in
the senior year of high school is a primary reason
students are not ready for college-level math courses.
High school seniors can
take college algebra and receive high school and college
credit through a partnership between Denton Independent
School District and North Texas Central College, the
University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University.
Beginning in August 2006,
seniors enrolled in the program can take the class on
their high school campus through NCTC or enroll in
courses on the UNT and TWU campuses.
For additional
information, contact the students’ high school: Denton
High ((940) 369-2000, Guyer High (940) 369-1000, or Ryan
High (940) 369-3000. |
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Foundation for the Education of Young Women
The mission of the
Foundation for the Education of Young Women is to
support single-sex, college preparatory, public
education in Texas that will give young women in urban
schools the academic skills to achieve success in
college and in life by thinking critically, leading
purposefully, and living active, healthy and responsible
lives.
In early 2001, Lee Posey
Posey and his wife, Sally, established the Foundation
for the Education of Young Women and began a
conversation with the Dallas Independent School District
about single gender education.
The first all-girls public
school,
Irma Rangel Leadership School, opened its doors in
August 2004. The Foundation and its Board are now
planning to open similar schools in other Texas cities.
Chancellor Stuart serves
on the Advisory Board to the Erma Rangel Leadership
School.
Dr. Lerner serves on the
Board of Directors for the Foundation for the Education
of Young Women. |
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Texas Scholars
A team of nine volunteers
from Texas Woman’s University in Denton stressed the
importance of education in high school and beyond during
a visit Tuesday, Oct. 10, with eighth-graders at John B.
Hood Middle School in Dallas.
The visit is in
partnership with the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce,
the Dallas Independent School District and the Texas
Scholars Program, an initiative of the Texas Business
and Education Coalition (TBEC).
more... |
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HQ-ED: Highly Qualified Educators for Diversity
Texas Woman’s University
and the Fort Worth Independent School District will
partner to address critical teacher shortages in the
FWISD using a $1.65 million Transition to Teaching grant
from the U.S. Department of Education.
One of only 20 Transition
to Teaching grants awarded nationally, the grant covers
five years, with first-year funding of $236,315.
more...
For more information on
the Transition to Teaching grant, visit
www.ed.gov/programs/transitionteach. For more
information on TWU’s MAT program, visit
www.twu.edu/mat. |
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Leveraging Title I: A University-District Partnership to
Improve K–12 Literacy
In an initiative designed to help teachers meet the
Highly Qualified Teacher requirement of the No Child
Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the
Arlington Independent
School District (AISD) in Arlington, Texas has
partnered with Texas Woman’s University (TWU) to offer a
master’s degree in reading to any teachers working in
Title I schools. This initiative is intended to help
uncertified teachers gain state certification, qualify
as "highly qualified," and to attract highly qualified
teachers to work in Title I schools in Arlington. The
program began in 2001 and is funded with monies from
Title I, a federal funding stream for schools with a
concentration of low-income students.
more... |
Edible Car Contest
Each
spring, the TWU College of Arts and Sciences and the
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science host an
edible car contest. This year the contest will be open
to students in grades 6-12 as well as TWU students.
Teams of middle school and high school students are
invited to enter this annual event. Each team must
consist of four students (at least two female students
per team; university teams must have at least 2 TWU
students). Cars must be built using only food items edible
to humans. Cars are judged by professional engineers and
on criteria including aerodynamics, detailed
design and speed.
more... |
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Transition to Work |
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Internship/Cooperative Education
TWU students have the
opportunity to work in positions related to their fields
of study, gaining valuable professional experience while
enhancing their academic preparation. |
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Events |
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P-16 Roundtable
Discussion
TWU hosted a roundtable
panel discussion on issues related to P-16 seamless
education in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Presented
by the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board, the event,
held on Friday, July 28th, 2006, included
representatives from the THECB,
TEA, DFW
higher education partners, P-16 collaborators, and area
public school administrators.
Following are excerpts
from Commissioner Raymund Paredes’ message to roundtable
participants:
"The Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Texas
Education Agency (TEA) are working closely together to
ensure that an additional 630,000 Texans enroll in
post-secondary education by the year 2015. We are
especially committed to increasing the participation,
retention, and graduation rates of Hispanic,
African-American, and first-generation college students.
Significant increases in these participation rates are
crucial for the economic stability of all Texans.
"Building a college-going
culture requires cooperation and collaboration of
educators from throughout the P-16 pipeline. With the
assistance of the three P-16 Field Specialists working
in the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex, we are
dedicated to creating and implementing a plan that will
achieve the
Closing the Gaps by 2015 goals."
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State Teams K-16 Summer
Institute
The National
Association of Systems Heads (NASH) conducted a
State Teams K-16 Summer Institute in Minneapolis,
Minnesota from
July 29-31, 2007. The goals of the institute were to
enhance educator quality, accelerate student success
across P-12 and post-secondary education, and enhancing
P-16 data systems crucial to informed decision-making.
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